General Vaccine Information

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Vaccines are a critical tool in protecting you and your community from severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization and death. They are proven safe and are protecting millions of New Yorkers from COVID-19. You are also much less likely to get sick or be hospitalized if you become infected.

Vaccination is safer than risking illness and long-term health effects from COVID-19. Even people who have had COVID-19 should get vaccinated.

When You Are Fully Vaccinated

After you are fully vaccinated (two weeks after your single-dose vaccine or second dose of a two-dose vaccine), you are less likely to get or spread COVID-19.

Other benefits of vaccination:

• All activities become safer.


• You can take off your mask in some settings:
  • Masks are still required in some settings, such as public transportation, health care settings and in certain group residential settings, such as nursing homes and homeless shelters, and at any other setting if required by a business or location.
  • We recommend wearing a mask in all public indoor settings, even when it is not required.
  • Keep your mask on if you are around people who are unvaccinated or at increased risk for severe COVID-19.

Even after you are vaccinated, you should still stay home if you are sick or test positive for COVID-19.

If you have a condition or are taking medicines that weaken your immune system, you may not be protected even if you are vaccinated. Talk to your health care provider before you stop taking precautions.

• CDC: Choosing Safer Activities

Vaccinations for Children

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for children ages 5 to 17. The vaccine dose for this age group is smaller than the dose given to people 12 and older.

A parent or guardian must provide consent for their child to be vaccinated in person, by phone or in writing, depending on the vaccination site. They will not need to provide proof they are the child's parent or guardian.

Children ages 15 and younger should be accompanied to the vaccination site by a parent or guardian, or another adult caregiver designated by the parent/guardian.

The parent or guardian must also have a completed New York State COVID-19 Vaccine Form.

• COVID-19 Vaccines for Children: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
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• NYC Department of Education: COVID-19 Vaccination for Students

Free Transportation and In-Home Vaccinations

City residents 65 and older can get free transportation to and from a vaccination appointment. This service is also available for those with disabilities who have no other way to get to a vaccination site.

To schedule free transport by either ambulette or taxi (including wheelchair accessible vehicles), call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692). If you are younger than 18, you must have your parent or guardian call to book the trip on your behalf.

You can also sign up online for an in-home vaccination or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692). Anyone 12 or older is currently eligible for in-home vaccination. Starting June 1, in-home vaccinations will only be available to New York residents who are homebound or at least 65 years old.

Booster Shots

Vaccine booster shots are available for all fully vaccinated people 12 and older. These shots boost your immunity from an initial vaccination series.

We recommend at least one booster shot for any adult who received the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least five months ago, or the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

If you recently had COVID-19, consider waiting to get a booster shot until three months after you first felt symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19 if you had no symptoms. If you are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 or of getting COVID-19 again, it may be better to get a booster as soon as you are eligible. Talk to your provider about when you should get your next vaccine.

Your first booster shot can be any of the three authorized or approved vaccines. We recommend you get either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for your booster shot, unless you are unable to do so.

Second Booster

A second booster is available to people who are 50 or older, 12 or older and moderately or severely immunocompromised, or 18 or older and have received a primary dose and booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

If you are eligible, you can get your second booster shot four months after you received your first booster. The second booster must be either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Review the CDC's guidance on how to decide if you should get a second booster.

For second booster shots, you must get either a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. If you have questions, talk to your health care provider or call 212-COVID-19 (212-268-4319).

• COVID-19 Vaccine Third Doses vs. Boosters (PDF)
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Additional Doses for People with a Weakened Immune System

Separate from booster shots, people ages 5 and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised (meaning they have a weakened immune system) should get an additional vaccine dose, as part of their primary vaccine series. They can get a third dose 28 days after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or their single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

If you got the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, get the same vaccine type for your additional dose. If you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you must get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for your additional dose.

This shot is intended to help people who may not have had a strong response to the first two shots due to a medical condition or treatment. People ages 12 and older who receive this shot should also get at least one booster shot when eligible.

• COVID-19 Vaccines: Additional Dose for People Who Are Immunocompromised (PDF)
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Fair and Equitable Access

The Health Department is ensuring there is fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. Our plans account for health inequities and disparities faced by underserved communities (PDF). We are ensuring the communities hit hardest by the pandemic have access to the vaccine.

• COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Strategy (PDF)
• COVID-19 Vaccine: Frequently Asked Questions for the Disability Community

Note: All Health Department websites are designed to be accessible for people with disabilities.

People with Disabilities

People with disabilities can get help making a vaccination appointment at an accessible site, traveling to their appointment and getting their shot. This kind of help is called a reasonable accommodation.

You can get a reasonable accommodation if you have difficulty with:

• Seeing or hearing
• Thinking or concentrating
• Speaking
• Using your arms
• Taking care of daily chores
• Coping with feelings of sadness or anxiety
• Getting around or climbing stairs

Though not a complete list, some common examples of a reasonable accommodation are: a wheelchair provided on arrival, ASL interpretation or tactile interpretation, a quiet space if loud spaces are overwhelming, and verbal or physical guidance to navigate the vaccination site.

You can request a reasonable accommodation when you schedule your vaccination, either through the City's online appointment scheduler or by calling 855-491-2667. You can also ask for a reasonable accommodation from staff at a City-run vaccination site, or email hubaccess@health.nyc.gov for more information.

You can also sign up for an in-home vaccination online or by calling 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).

For more information, see:

• NYC Health Department's Reasonable Accommodation Policy for Vaccinations (PDF)

Additional Resources